a song to keep us believing

The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

2 Timothy 2:11-13

How we continue to trust Jesus matters. The gospel is much more than just a “one and done” assent to some facts about Jesus. It is about a life with Him that is richly rewarding. Paul chooses to sing what many scholars think was a first century Christian hymn to make his point. In the song are four facts that keep us in faith in our Savior.

First… we died with Christ in order to live with Him. This is our present faith at work. We follow Jesus. We died with Him to an old life of sin that we might now live in a new holy life of worship and service to our King.

Second… we endure circumstances now to reign with Jesus in the future. Paul wrote these words to heavily persecuted Christians. Many had died. Almost all were paying some sort of cultural, economic, or family price for Christian commitment. But endurance is rewarded both in relationship with Jesus and ruling under Jesus.

Third… apostasy and denial of Christ are serious and reap eternal loss. Those who completely deny Christ never really believed and are subject to His final judgment. Ironically, they will still answer to Jesus. Those cases should soberly motivate us to be serious in our own examination of faith. Apostates ultimately turn away.

Finally… faith struggles show us the keeping power is IN CHRIST, not in ourselves. Yes, there is an apostasy that is hell bound. But there is also a type of struggle to believe that is not apostate. Jesus lovingly recognizes and continues to help carry us through as we struggle. It is like Peter taking his eyes from Jesus as he walked on the water. Like that… sometimes we feel ourselves sinking. But Jesus is faithful and with a strong arm picks us up from the waves of doubt and struggle. He is the Keeper of all who come to Him, even as they occasionally struggle. He reaches out and calls us back. He keeps His own.